soxin07080910
10-12-2007, 10:36 PM
Red Sox vs. Indians Preview
GAME ONE:
The Pitching match up is C.C. Sabathia vs. Josh Beckett, perhaps the two frontrunners for the CY Young award. Both pitchers have been lights out all season. They both had at least 19 wins and ERA’s under 3.50. Beckett is coming off a complete game shutout against the Angels, and C.C. is coming off a shaky outing against the Yankees. Beckett has been untouchable in his postseason career, and should continue it this series. C.C. has not had much postseason experience, and needs to locate his pitches better than he did against the Yankees to be effective. I think this is going to be a great pitchers duel, with Beckett and the Sox having the slight advantage. I think the inexperience may hurt the Indians a little bit, and the fact that it is in Boston will also make it difficult. I think the Sox will take this one in a close one.
GAME TWO:
The match up is Fausto Carmona against Curt Schilling. Carmona was pure brilliance against the spectacular hitting Yankees, and he should give us some big problems too. This kid has come a long way. If you recall last season, he blew probably three games in a row against the Red Sox when they tried him at closer. Now as a starter, he has had a rebirth. I do not see us getting many runs of this guy. Going for the Sox is Schilling. Throughout his long career, he has been known as a dominant post season pitcher. He showed why he traded for him when he led us to a World Series title in 2004, and now he is pitching us there again. He did not have a strong regular season, but if he pitches like he did in round one against the Angels, Curt is back. He may not hit 96 on the radar gun anymore, but he will find a way to get you out. This game should also come down to whoever can manufacture the runs. I think that Cleveland may have a slight advantage with the filthy Carmona going, but I would never bet against Curt Schilling in the playoffs. This should be a good one, and I will be at Fenway to see it.
GAME THREE:
This one is Jake Westbrook against Daisuke Matsuzaka. Dice-K has been the definition of inconsistent this season. There is no doubting his stuff, but he never seems to be able to put all the things together in one night. Some nights he can’t locate pitches, some nights he doesn’t have his stuff, and some night’s he does not make smart pitches. He is very due for another good start, and for the 50 million dollars he got, hopefully it will be tonight. Westbrook has been on the Indians for a while and has always put up average numbers. He is slightly similar to Derek Lowe, because his success is determined by if his sinkerball is working. This is Cleveland’s home opener for the series, and I think they will bring there A game. With the inconsistent Dice-K pitching, I give the slight advantage to Cleveland in this game. The fact they have home field will serve them the extra boast they need to beat the Sox in this one.
GAME FOUR:
Game four will likely be Paul Bryd against Tim Wakefield. This guys are both pitching well even at 40. They are two of the most unique pitchers around, and are possibly the last two old school pitchers ever. Wakefield is the only major leaguer who throws a knuckleball, while Bryd is the only guy left with a windup circa 1940. They both are old, savy guys, who won’t be hitting 90 on the radar gun. Wakefield lives and dies with his knuckler, and if he doesn’t have it, than the Red Sox will not have a victory. Wake also hasn’t pitched in quite some time because of his back issues, so he may not be in top form. I think the fact he is rusty, and that Cleveland is home that the Indians have the advantage in this game. It certainly should be special seeing these old school pitchers going at it. Bryd is by no means dominant, but the guys he gets on base do not usually cross the plate. He is very good at working his way out of jams. The pitching match ups for the following games are still TBD, so I cannot break down the rest of the series. I think that by game 5 it will either be tied 2-2, or the Sox up 3-1. I think it really depends on how Dice-K pitches against Westbrook.
HITTING ADVANTAGES:
DH: David Ortiz compared to Travis Hafner
Maybe the two best DH’s in the league, this one is tough to decide. I will give it to Ortiz because Hafner had a bit of a down year this season. Also, Papi’s playoff success is greater than maybe any other hitter, compared to Hafner, who has little experience. Ortiz is a beast even with his knee issues, so you cannot vote against him.
CATCHER: Victor Martinez compared to Jason Varitek
I hate to go against the captain, but Martinez may be the best catcher In the American league. He may not be the best defensively, but this guy can hit. He has all the things you want in a hitter, and makes a perfect fit in the Indians lineup. He has power and average, something rare in a catcher. Varitek has had ups and downs at the plate this season, and is to inconsistent for me to give the Sox the advantage.
FIRST BASE: Kevin Youkilis vs. Ryan Garko
I have to say all around this goes to Youk. Garko is a better power hitter and solid average, but Youk has better plate discipline and just is a smarter hitter. Youk’s glove has been superb this season, and he could very well take home a gold glove. Garko is no slouch, but Youk has been fantastic thus far. Garko is always a treat to go deep, but Youk is more likely to get on base.
SECOND BASE: Josh Barfield and Dustin Pedroia
I have to give this to the rookie Pedroia. He has had a monster season and is very likely the rookie of the year in the AL. He has hit over .320 and been great no matter where he is in the lineup. Barfield is solid, and very good against lefties, but he is not as good as Dustin. Pedroia clearly has the upper hand in this one.
SHORT STOP: Jhonny Peralta and Julio Lugo
Peralta has been consistent this season at the plate, while Lugo has been rather bad. Peralta has pretty good power, and mediocre contact. Lugo is lacking in both hitting departments. Peralta is slow, while Lugo is very fast. Peralta is also very shaky with his glove, with very small range, while Lugo is pretty rangy. Lugo is not a great fielder, but better than Peralta. I call this a push, as neither are complete players.
THIRD BASE: Mike Lowell and Casey Blake
In my view, Mike Lowell has been the regular season MVP for the Red Sox. He hit .300 with good power and had over 100 RBI’s. And to think, this guy was pawned off on us as a cap hit. He has settled into the 5 hole of the lineup wonderfully, and I don’t see him stopping this playoff series. Casey Blake on the other side is a very good power hitter who is an average contact hitter. He also has been a surprise strength to Cleveland’s playoff run, and he is dangerous in the batter’s box. He has been pretty clutch for the Indians this season too, another plus. Mike Lowell struggled a little defensively this season, but is the all time leader in fielding percentage by a third baseman. He is a gold glove winner, while Blake isn’t bad, he is not a gold glover. Blake has played some outfield and first base this season too.
LEFT FIELD: Manny Ramirez and Kenny Lofton
This might be the easiest one so far. As solid as Lofton is, Manny is a special player. He was just born to hit the ball. Manny hasn’t had his typical season, but he still has the talent to step up in the playoffs. Manny is not a good fielder, but his hitting makes up for it. Lofton is a very speedy veteran who has always been a great hitter for average. He and Manny were once teammates in Cleveland quite a few years ago. Lofton is faster, but that is about all he has on Manny.
CENTER FIELD:
Grady Sizemore and Coco Crisp
Sizemore is already showing signs of a five tool player. He hits over .300, he can hit over 25 homeruns, and he is FAST! Sizemore has to get the advantage over Crisp here. Sizemore can basically do it all. Coco has all the range you could ever ask for, and has a great glove, but struggles at the plate occasionally. Sizemore is very consistent, and although he strikes out a ton, he is still a great leadoff hitter. He and Coco both wreck havoc on the bases.
RIGHT FIELD: Franklin Gutierrez and J.D. Drew
On paper we give this to Drew. On paper Drew is worth 70 million dollars. Well let me tell you, J.D. Drew is not worth anything close to 70 million. I will give the advantage to Cleveland because of the fact Drew is not good. Franklin has 5 tool player potential, and he could develop into a great talent. Drew has a great arm, but that’s about all he has on him.
TOTAL ADVANTAGE-
SOX
GAME ONE:
The Pitching match up is C.C. Sabathia vs. Josh Beckett, perhaps the two frontrunners for the CY Young award. Both pitchers have been lights out all season. They both had at least 19 wins and ERA’s under 3.50. Beckett is coming off a complete game shutout against the Angels, and C.C. is coming off a shaky outing against the Yankees. Beckett has been untouchable in his postseason career, and should continue it this series. C.C. has not had much postseason experience, and needs to locate his pitches better than he did against the Yankees to be effective. I think this is going to be a great pitchers duel, with Beckett and the Sox having the slight advantage. I think the inexperience may hurt the Indians a little bit, and the fact that it is in Boston will also make it difficult. I think the Sox will take this one in a close one.
GAME TWO:
The match up is Fausto Carmona against Curt Schilling. Carmona was pure brilliance against the spectacular hitting Yankees, and he should give us some big problems too. This kid has come a long way. If you recall last season, he blew probably three games in a row against the Red Sox when they tried him at closer. Now as a starter, he has had a rebirth. I do not see us getting many runs of this guy. Going for the Sox is Schilling. Throughout his long career, he has been known as a dominant post season pitcher. He showed why he traded for him when he led us to a World Series title in 2004, and now he is pitching us there again. He did not have a strong regular season, but if he pitches like he did in round one against the Angels, Curt is back. He may not hit 96 on the radar gun anymore, but he will find a way to get you out. This game should also come down to whoever can manufacture the runs. I think that Cleveland may have a slight advantage with the filthy Carmona going, but I would never bet against Curt Schilling in the playoffs. This should be a good one, and I will be at Fenway to see it.
GAME THREE:
This one is Jake Westbrook against Daisuke Matsuzaka. Dice-K has been the definition of inconsistent this season. There is no doubting his stuff, but he never seems to be able to put all the things together in one night. Some nights he can’t locate pitches, some nights he doesn’t have his stuff, and some night’s he does not make smart pitches. He is very due for another good start, and for the 50 million dollars he got, hopefully it will be tonight. Westbrook has been on the Indians for a while and has always put up average numbers. He is slightly similar to Derek Lowe, because his success is determined by if his sinkerball is working. This is Cleveland’s home opener for the series, and I think they will bring there A game. With the inconsistent Dice-K pitching, I give the slight advantage to Cleveland in this game. The fact they have home field will serve them the extra boast they need to beat the Sox in this one.
GAME FOUR:
Game four will likely be Paul Bryd against Tim Wakefield. This guys are both pitching well even at 40. They are two of the most unique pitchers around, and are possibly the last two old school pitchers ever. Wakefield is the only major leaguer who throws a knuckleball, while Bryd is the only guy left with a windup circa 1940. They both are old, savy guys, who won’t be hitting 90 on the radar gun. Wakefield lives and dies with his knuckler, and if he doesn’t have it, than the Red Sox will not have a victory. Wake also hasn’t pitched in quite some time because of his back issues, so he may not be in top form. I think the fact he is rusty, and that Cleveland is home that the Indians have the advantage in this game. It certainly should be special seeing these old school pitchers going at it. Bryd is by no means dominant, but the guys he gets on base do not usually cross the plate. He is very good at working his way out of jams. The pitching match ups for the following games are still TBD, so I cannot break down the rest of the series. I think that by game 5 it will either be tied 2-2, or the Sox up 3-1. I think it really depends on how Dice-K pitches against Westbrook.
HITTING ADVANTAGES:
DH: David Ortiz compared to Travis Hafner
Maybe the two best DH’s in the league, this one is tough to decide. I will give it to Ortiz because Hafner had a bit of a down year this season. Also, Papi’s playoff success is greater than maybe any other hitter, compared to Hafner, who has little experience. Ortiz is a beast even with his knee issues, so you cannot vote against him.
CATCHER: Victor Martinez compared to Jason Varitek
I hate to go against the captain, but Martinez may be the best catcher In the American league. He may not be the best defensively, but this guy can hit. He has all the things you want in a hitter, and makes a perfect fit in the Indians lineup. He has power and average, something rare in a catcher. Varitek has had ups and downs at the plate this season, and is to inconsistent for me to give the Sox the advantage.
FIRST BASE: Kevin Youkilis vs. Ryan Garko
I have to say all around this goes to Youk. Garko is a better power hitter and solid average, but Youk has better plate discipline and just is a smarter hitter. Youk’s glove has been superb this season, and he could very well take home a gold glove. Garko is no slouch, but Youk has been fantastic thus far. Garko is always a treat to go deep, but Youk is more likely to get on base.
SECOND BASE: Josh Barfield and Dustin Pedroia
I have to give this to the rookie Pedroia. He has had a monster season and is very likely the rookie of the year in the AL. He has hit over .320 and been great no matter where he is in the lineup. Barfield is solid, and very good against lefties, but he is not as good as Dustin. Pedroia clearly has the upper hand in this one.
SHORT STOP: Jhonny Peralta and Julio Lugo
Peralta has been consistent this season at the plate, while Lugo has been rather bad. Peralta has pretty good power, and mediocre contact. Lugo is lacking in both hitting departments. Peralta is slow, while Lugo is very fast. Peralta is also very shaky with his glove, with very small range, while Lugo is pretty rangy. Lugo is not a great fielder, but better than Peralta. I call this a push, as neither are complete players.
THIRD BASE: Mike Lowell and Casey Blake
In my view, Mike Lowell has been the regular season MVP for the Red Sox. He hit .300 with good power and had over 100 RBI’s. And to think, this guy was pawned off on us as a cap hit. He has settled into the 5 hole of the lineup wonderfully, and I don’t see him stopping this playoff series. Casey Blake on the other side is a very good power hitter who is an average contact hitter. He also has been a surprise strength to Cleveland’s playoff run, and he is dangerous in the batter’s box. He has been pretty clutch for the Indians this season too, another plus. Mike Lowell struggled a little defensively this season, but is the all time leader in fielding percentage by a third baseman. He is a gold glove winner, while Blake isn’t bad, he is not a gold glover. Blake has played some outfield and first base this season too.
LEFT FIELD: Manny Ramirez and Kenny Lofton
This might be the easiest one so far. As solid as Lofton is, Manny is a special player. He was just born to hit the ball. Manny hasn’t had his typical season, but he still has the talent to step up in the playoffs. Manny is not a good fielder, but his hitting makes up for it. Lofton is a very speedy veteran who has always been a great hitter for average. He and Manny were once teammates in Cleveland quite a few years ago. Lofton is faster, but that is about all he has on Manny.
CENTER FIELD:
Grady Sizemore and Coco Crisp
Sizemore is already showing signs of a five tool player. He hits over .300, he can hit over 25 homeruns, and he is FAST! Sizemore has to get the advantage over Crisp here. Sizemore can basically do it all. Coco has all the range you could ever ask for, and has a great glove, but struggles at the plate occasionally. Sizemore is very consistent, and although he strikes out a ton, he is still a great leadoff hitter. He and Coco both wreck havoc on the bases.
RIGHT FIELD: Franklin Gutierrez and J.D. Drew
On paper we give this to Drew. On paper Drew is worth 70 million dollars. Well let me tell you, J.D. Drew is not worth anything close to 70 million. I will give the advantage to Cleveland because of the fact Drew is not good. Franklin has 5 tool player potential, and he could develop into a great talent. Drew has a great arm, but that’s about all he has on him.
TOTAL ADVANTAGE-
SOX